Arad Senki: New Adventures
by Sirenightsparrow
Summary: It's a year after the Behemoth incident. Baron and the party wind up making new friends which are also powerful allies. My first story so yeah. Hopefully you enjoy it!
1. The Emperial Guard, Elisa

"Baron we have been walking for a long time, are you absolutely sure we are going the right way?" Ryunmei asked.

"I'm hungry and many beautiful women can't wait to see my beautiful face," Capensis whined.

"I know where we are going alright! I got a map before we left and I know how to use a map!" Baron exclaimed as he showed them the map. It was upside down.

"Then find a place with drinkable water first 'cause I'm thirsty," Ixia started complaining."Ryunmei when do you think Baron will get us where we need to go without getting us lost?"

"Who knows," Ryunmei sighed.

Jeda sighing to himself, he watched as the others bickered amongst themselves. He looked around at their surroundings, trying to get a sense of how close they were Aphelia. The party has been together for a year now, although Jeda mostly comes and goes as he pleased. They had seen a post on the board in Hendon Myre and the fact that they needed money was what got them to head there and all that is stopping them now is the entire party's lack of direction. Gale and Breeze were having a thief problem and they needed someone to catch the thief for they were never able to themselves. As Jeda watched the surroundings he noticed a human figure in the trees.

"Hey," Jeda warned "Someone's coming."

Soon there was a barrage of missiles coming straight at them from the opposite direction of the figure. The party barely had the time to get out of the missiles way.

"What was that?!" Ixia exclaimed. Even though it had been a year she had barely improved on her magic at all. They only new magic she had learnt since then was how to fly on her staff, Weilly. Pue, Florea, Pumpkin, and Weilly were literally stronger than her in magic ability now. It didn't help that everyone else around her had noticeable improvements in their techniques and fighting skills. She was jealous of them, and the huge gap of difference made it that much worse for her.

"An Emperial Guard," Capensis didn't seem fazed by this attack. Soon an armored flying robot could be seen hovering above them.

The party readied themselves for the robot to attack them only to be attack from behind by the figure Jeda had seen earlier. Shots were fired at Capensis. They were coated in water magic. Capensis dodged the shots and fired back. The figure quickly jumped behind a tree for cover.

"They seem to be after Capensis," Jeda alerted the group.

They all nodded in agreement. This gunner wanted Capensis, they just didn't know why yet. There was one problem though... how do you hit a target you can't see clearly. They needed to get a visual of whoever it was and fast, before they are all left for dead.

The armored machine started firing more missiles at the group and the shots from the figure were becoming more rapid.

"This is it!" Capensis pulled out his rocket launcher and fired it at the armoured machine. The missile from Capensis' rocket launcher pierced the machine's armor and there was an explosion. The machine started to fall as Capensis loaded another missile into his big gun. The figure became enraged at this and started throwing small metal spheres.

"Everyone get out of here! They're grenades! " Capensis shouted as he started to bolt for the trees.

"Grenades?!" the party started to run from the area. The grenades exploded and ice magic came out of them.

"At this rate we'll get killed!" Ryunmei panicked.

"You think!" Baron and Ixia shouted back.

The figure entered the clearing. The figure could now be seen.

"She's... beautiful" Capensis exclaimed. Everyone stared at him as if he was crazy. This woman was trying to kill them and Capensis was falling for her looks? Love really had a weird way of working.

"You get back here, Kartel! I will have your head!" the woman yelled. She had blonde hair, blue eyes and was wearing the Emperial Guard uniform."It was you that caused the princess's capture and I will make you wish you never born!"

"YOU WHAT!?" the party looked at Capensis simultaneously.

"What is she talking about? I never joined those freaks. In fact they-" a grenade was thrown in their direction before he could finish.

"They what Cabensis? They what?" the party seemed ready to ditch him at that moment.

"They were trying to kill me for destroying their Arsenal. I got cornered and jumped off a cliff into the middle ocean and wound up here!" Capensis explained as he dodged a missile.

"So that's why he jumped," Ixia muttered.

"ROAR!" the roar of taus shook the forest. The woman stopped chasing them for a brief moment. They party looked around them and prepared themselves for the incoming taus.

"By the way, has anyone seen, Jeda?" Ryunmei asked the party.

"Now that you mention it... he probably ditched us! That sly old man," Baron was popping a vein at his thought. Suddenly a thud was heard and Jeda laughing his hearty laugh while holding up an unconscious woman.

"Jeda, the taus are-," Ixia was interrupted by Jeda

"No they're not. That roar was all me." Jeda laughed.

"That was you!" the party exclaimed.

"Yep," Jeda smiled. Everyone sighed in relief, as Jeda laughed.

"So what do we do with her?" Baron pointed out. He clearly did not want anything to do with an unconscious lady.

"Tie her up and get her to listen to me," Capensis said this as if it was an obvious thing to do."She will just come after us again if we don't convince her." At this point Capensis was already tying up the woman with rope and knotting it multiple times.

"You mean, if you don't convince her." Ryunmei plainly stated."We have nothing to do with your past. If fact we don't even know your past so it's your problem."

"You heard Ryunmei," Ixia chirped. Capensis had just finished tying her up in that short space of time.

"Fine, but-"

"If you die we will find a replacement," Ixia told him sarcastically. Ryunmei gave her a light whack on the head for that.

"We come help you, if we can." Ryunmei corrected.

The woman started to stir. "You're on your own now." Baron reminded him.

Capensis looked at the woman. She was more beautiful than Kiri. At least that is what he thought. Her blue eyes opened and she stared at him.

"You spineless coward," that was the first words she said to him.

"Would a coward save you from taus? I think not." Capensis smiled to himself at this statement.

"I know-"

"That I went to destroy the Arsenal? It was just a favour for a friend."

"...Lair." She didn't believe him.

"Then who do you believe did the deed?" Capensis asked her.

"..." She didn't say anything at that point. Capensis took it upon himself to show her the badge that his friend gave him.

"How did you get that? That badge belongs to Sergeant Blan! You didn't-" Capensis turned the badge over. A note was written under it. It read:

"I gave this badge to a skilled friend of mine. Capensis will be going to destroy the Arsenal in my place for my wife is in labour and i can't leave her side. Please give him access to our mission documents and treat him as a respected ally."

The woman just sat there in disbelief. Capensis had won.

"So are you still bent on killing me?" Capensis had a cocky smile on his face.

"...I can't believe he trusted a common gunner like you. Your lack of awareness caused the kidnapping of the princess! You led them into our base!"

Now it was Capensis turn to stare in disbelief. He had no idea that happened.

"You may be a skilled with a gun, but you are still just like any other common person, completely unaware of your surroundings." she scolded.

"Jeez, sorry about that, but I did get rid of the army's biggest threat at the time." Capensis defended. He didn't realize that she had untied herself.

"As I have said, completely unaware," She pulled out her gun and shot Capensis. The shot rang out through the forest.

"Capensis! " The party came running towards the sound. They say Capensis sitting there seemingly unharmed.

"Hey, are you okay?!" They all called out. Capensis turned to them and smiled.

"It all worked out." He told them as he gave them two thumbs up. It was only after they reached him that they noticed that he had been shot. They sighed in relief when it was only a shallow wound to his left leg. Soon after Jeda healed his leg, the party started on their way again.

"Her name's Elisa." Cabensis told the party.

"Huh, how do you know?" Ryunmei asked him.

"I didn't hear her mention it." Baron added.

"She forgot her badge," Capensis said smiling as he held up her badge. It read: "Elisa".

* * *

First story ever. Yeah me.

Please tell me how bad it was. I really need to know if i am to continue with this.

P.S. After chapter 4 I'm going to look to the reviews for ideas on the next chapter so yea people will get some say in this cause I will go blank if no one does. I shipping male mage and Ixia! No exceptions! And no yaoi please. It called yaoi for a reason and it's because it hurts my eyes and makes me say owwie. Yuri is the same thing except sounds more like ewwy.


	2. Catching a Thief in Aphelia

"We're here!" Baron called out to the group in excitement.

"And you didn't get us lost this time!" Capensis added on.

The group walked into Aphelia Post, extremely happy that they finally got somewhere without getting lost. They didn't do it themselves however. Elisa, who happened to have a strong sense of direction, was the one who help them get here. They happened to meet up with Elisa again in the forest a day before and she was desperately searching for the badge she had lost. Capensis said he would give it to her if she helped them get to Aphelia Post. She agreed and soon she started to like the group, the only exception was to Capensis' affection which made her very uncomfortable. The girls, Gale and Breeze came out to meet them.

"Hi guys, it's so good to see you!" Breeze called out.

"Thank goodness you're here! Do you know how tiring it is to stay up every night trying to catch a thief you can't see." Gale added on.

"Well we're here now-" Baron was interrupted.

"By the way, who is she?" Gale said as she pointed at Elisa.

"This is Elisa. She is a gunner like Capensis." Baron explained.

"No point worrying about that now, Gale, we have a thief to catch remember?" Breeze reminded her sister.

"Right, let's introduce you to the storage room." Gale changed her mind set to the task at hand and started to walk in the direction of the storage room. "You guys coming or what?"Gale asked the party. They were soon following Gale and Breeze to the storage room. It was a tent with a hidden stairwell inside. Only once they reached the door at the end of the stairwell was there further explanation as to what was going on.

"You see, every week there is this growling sound that first appears. Similar to that of the ghouls in Shallow Keep, but it turned out to be these black zombies. They unlike the normal ones are fast, and they would explode if they so choose." Gale explained.

"We had to fight off hordes of them last time, and once we defeated them all we would check the storage room and everything would be gone!" Breeze further explained. "We even made sure the things didn't go near the tent. Heck, they were more interested in getting us!"

"Sounds like someone is sneaking in during the confusion and taking your training equipment," Ryunmei told the sisters.

"Sounds like that to me," Elisa agreed. Soon everyone was in agreement with Ryunmei's statement.

"WE CAN NOT AFFORD THIS! WE MIGHT BE GOING INTO WAR WITH THE DARK ELVES AT ANY TIME AND ALL THESE ROOKIES STINCK!" Gale yelled furiously.

"Not to mention that the better ones are injured meaning they wouldn't be able to do much." Breeze calmly added.

"We are here now and we want to help," Baron told them.

"Which day of the week does this exactly take place?" Capensis asked.

"On Wednesday nights," Breeze answered.

"...That's...today." Ixia realized. Her familiars nodded in agreement.

"Then we'll have to hurry and create a plan." Elisa plainly stated. Everyone nodded.

"How 'bout we build a trap for this thief?" Capensis suggested. "Whoever it is, is clearly taking advantage of the situation and could possibly be causing it as a distraction."

"They'd also have to be very stealthy, and a smart thief wouldn't easily fall for a trap." Elisa reminded.

"I still say a trap is the best idea." Capensis assured.

"We don't really care what you do to stop the thief; we just want it stopped, alright." Gale reminded the party.

"I could try some barrier magic to-"

"It'll be fine, Ixia, let's have Capensis and Elisa handle the trap. We will make a plan to protect the place using our abilities." Baron quickly told Ixia. Ryunmei agreed. Ixia capable of some extremely useful spells but her control wasn't all that great. In a situation like this it would just be too risky.

"Okay, I guess," She replied in a disappointed tone. Ryunmei took notice of this.

"How about you go exploring while Baron, Jeda, and I make the plan? You could easily figure out the lay of the land and it would be very important for us. Who knows, you might even find something amazing." Ryunmei explained. This seemed to work well as Ixia's eyes perked up to the sound of exploration and knowing that she was the best one for the job.

"Okay!" Ixia said cheerfully as she ran upstairs, nearly falling as she tripped in her excitement. Everyone smiled at this.

"You really did a good job, Ryunmei. You'll certainly be a great mother someday." Breeze complimented. Ryunmei blushed slightly at this but quickly regained her composer.

"We should get to work, don't you think?" Ryunmei told the group.

"Right, good luck you guys." Breeze told the party.

"You better not fail!" Gale added. The party then got right to work.

"So where should we explore first guys?" ixia asked her familiars. They debated over it for a while and eventually decided to check out the caves.

"Okay we'll go-," a sudden beam of blue light came down from the sky into the nearby forest. Florea, Weilly, Lanturn, and Pue all looked at each other and Ixia soon after. It was now decided where they were going to go first. Ixia got on her staff, with the permission of Weilly of course, and started flying to their destination, making sure that Pue stayed on her head and that Florea and Lantern were able to keep up with her. The trip didn't take very long, but they didn't find anything once they reached.

"Did we come all this way for nothing?" Ixia asked her familiars. They all were upset at their lack of anything interesting. It was an unfortunate loss on their part. Maybe they got here too late and whatever was here left already. This was confirmed by Ixia herself.

"Someone was here, I can feel it!" Ixia told her companions. "Really! Maybe someone came from Pandemonium today!" They all became excited at the thought. Soon there came another feeling and this made her very uncomfortable. Weilly also felt it and became the first to tell everyone.

"I feel that too Weilly. They don't seem very stable, and kind of feels like that weird flower that we fought at Mount Thundertime. You know… the one that healed all those slayers then randomly started to kill everyone." They all remembered that scene. It was brutal. People were consumed by that flower and others were badly injured. Baron also seemed to know a bit more about that flower than she did. Maybe she'll ask him more about it later.

"Well we came all the way here let's walk a little and see what we-" she turned to see that Lantern and Florea already found something. "So what is…" Ixia stopped dead in her tracks. That small part of the forest was in a light blue glow, and since it was a clearing she could easily see where the moon would be when it would pass overhead. There were glowing flowers everywhere and fireflies were starting to dance about. There were some weird birds that looked like sparrows flying around but they soon looked at her.

"Who are you?" the little birds asked. They started to fly closer. "Who are you?" they asked again. This scared Ixia. She never thought birds could talk. "Do you plan to harm this place? What do you want?" the birds continued asking. They just kept coming closer.

"She looks scared," one said.

"Yeah she does," another confirmed.

"We won't hurt you. As long as you don't plan on harming this place," the third told her quietly.

"Help me! Somebody, please! Sis, where are you?" a voice other than the birds cried out. Ixia, Weilly, Florea, Lanturn, and Pue all rushed in that direction. There was a big rock that seemed to have rolled down the hill.

"Where are you?" Ixia called out.

"Here! I'm here!" The voice called out. It was under that rock. Ixia rushed over to find a small gap. Looking inside she found a little girl. A dark elf trapped under the fallen rock.

"Please help me get out. I need to reach my sister and tell her I escaped." The little girl told ixia.

"So your sister is who was stealing the training equipment? Why would she do that? And what do you mean by you escaped?" Ixia asked.

"I'll explain later, but please hurry. The tide is coming in!" the girl was clearly panicking. Ixia looked back to see a body of water. This would be covered in water when the tide came.

"Looks like it's time to use some magic guys." Ixia told her familiars who showed their agreement. Ixia ran back to ready herself to cast a spell. She needed to concentrate. Messing up would be devastating. Ixia turned around to see the rock was already broken by her familiars.

"You could've at least let me try a spell…" she told her familiars who then shuck their heads 'no'. They believed it would be too risky to let her try. The little girl climbed out of the hole. "Thank you so much." The girl said bowing her head low. "Do you know where Aphelia is? I need to get there right away."

"It's … um… let me check." Weilly came over to Ixia and she flew up to see where exactly to go. When coming back down Ixia realized that she could just take her there. "How about I just take you there..." Ixia asked when she came down. "It would be a lot faster and you could explain to me what exactly is going on."

The girl thought about it for a while. "Okay, I'll come with you." The girl said as she sat on the staff. Pue jumped on Ixia's head, Florea and Lanturn came close beside Ixia and soon they were up in the sky, flying towards Aphelia.

"I'm Alena and thanks again for this. I am in your debt."

"Don't worry about it too much, just answer my questions, stop your sister and it'll be paid off." Ixia told Alena cheerfully.

"My sister used to sell them the equipment. She needed the money and she didn't hate humans. The other dark elves didn't like what she was doing and started threatening her to stop. You see, my sister isn't easily scared into doing things, especially when the threats were directed at her directly. They wound up coming to our residence in Heldon Myre one night..." Alena paused for a moment, as if to trying to recollect memories of that event.

"What happened that night?" Ixia's curiosity reached its peak.

"They broke in, trashed the place and decided, to take me hostage. My sister tried to protect me; she used all her known necromancy spells. I fought back too, but they outnumbered us greatly-"

"Wait… NERCROMANCY! That's forbidden magic! That's abusing the rights of the-"

"She assures me that she only calls the spirits that are willing to help her, so… I think it should be alright. She doesn't have nightmares anymore now, and the dead spirits actually give her advice to help her live a good life."

"It still shouldn't be done you know." Ixia reminded.

"I know…"

"Please continue."

"Okay. So they had me and threatened to kill me if she didn't take the equipment. She didn't want me to get hurt so she took back all the equipment she sold Gale and Breeze and brought it for them, but that wasn't enough for them anymore. They wanted her to take all the equipment, even the ones she didn't sell. They also wanted her to go back any time new equipment arrived there as well. Sis refused, until they decided to cut off a part of my left ear. " Alena then showed Ixia her left ear. It had been rounded off to look like a human's to some extent but the cut was also quite jagged. "Do you know understand why I have to reach her?"

Ixia nodded. She clearly understood the situation now and needed to get to Aphelia as soon as possible. She had slowed down a bit to hear the story and sped up to compensate for that. Florea and Lanturn decided to hitch a ride on the staff so they wouldn't get left behind by accident.

"I finished!" Capensis cheered happily as he looked at his finished trap for the thief they had to catch that night. He was ready for them now.

"It doesn't look half bad either." Elisa complimented. She had been watching him build his trap the entire time and looked quite impressed.

Baron, Ryunmei, and Jeda came downstairs.

"So what did you guys come up with as a plan?" Capensis asked.

"We-" Baron was suddenly interrupted by the sound of growling.

"They're already here?!" Ryunmei rhetorically asked in surprise. "And where is Ixia? She should be here by now."

"That's just great." Baron started running upstairs. Ryunmei, Jeda, and Capensis followed. Elisa was left in the room.

"It was quite good Capensis but there are some speed issues with your trap." Elisa mumbled quietly. She then started to build a trap of her own as backup to Capensis' own.

There was a horde of zombies coming towards the camp, and just like in the description the girls gave they were fast. Jeda threw up some amulets and bright lights appeared in the sky. The zombies all started to crumble, just like the time when they had first met Jeda.

"Wow! That's it? They're all gone?" Gale was surprised that the zombies were defeated so quickly. "You must be some kind of exorcist."

"Not really. I'm simply a crusader that learned a few tricks along my travels." Jeda explained.

"Sure you are…" Gale responded sarcastically.

"So where is the thief?" Ryunmei asked. Everyone turned to look at each other.

"Could they be… the storage?" Breeze immediately started running towards the storage room. They quickly ran down the stairs to see a dark elf, about the age of Elisa.

"It was YOU?!" Gale was enraged at the sight of her. The woman didn't respond. Gale gave her a discussed look.

"Why would you do this?" Breeze asked more calmly.

"GIA, GIA!" A young dark elf ran downstairs. Ixia came rushing down soon after with all her familiars.

"Alena?" the captured dark elf responded. "How did you… I thought you were…"

"I got away. You don' have to do this anymore. Let's go! Let's leave," the little girl told her sister.

Everyone except Capensis looked to Ixia with a confused look on their faces. Ixia was smiling. She was so happy that she went exploring that day.

"Do you know what's going on, Ixia?" Ryunmei asked Ixia. Ixia nodded.

"It's a long story about blackmail." Ixia answered. "I'm sure they could tell you later."

"What happened? It went off but how didn't it…" Capensis asked as he looked at his activated creation that has no thief in it.

"It was to slow so I had to make this one quickly as backup when you guys rushed upstairs." Elisa explained as she pointed to her net gun that was resting on the table.

Breeze turned her gaze back to Gia. "Do you mind answering my question now? We need to know what was going through your mind when you were committing these crimes." Breeze asked once again. This time a bit more anxiously. Gia nodded.

"It All started after I started selling you the equipment…" Gia started.

"And that is what happened."

"Gee, I had no idea that was going on… you should have told us something!" Gale shouted.

"Calm down, Gale. You would've done the same thing for me." Breeze told her sister to try and calm her down. "Thank you for you help, guys. It means a lot to us." Breeze gave them the money that was offered on the bulletin board.

"It was no problem." Baron told her.

"WHAT do you mean by you can't stay?" Gale could be heard yelling in the back ground.

"They would certainly be coming to search for us here, and we always felt we should travel more." Gia tried to explain to Gale. "Besides I already accepted Elisa's invitation to join her party."

"Me too," Alena called out.

"Huh? You're leaving, Elisa?" Baron asked.

"Yep, and forming my own party while I'm at it." Elisa smiled. "You guys are awesome, but I never did join you're party remember? Anyway you guys were such a great inspiration for me so I decided to start my own."

"Good for you, Elisa!" Ixia cheered.

"Thank you and don't worry so much. We'll be seeing a lot of each other, I'm sure of it." Elisa assured them.

"Just think of us as an allied party." Gia came into the conversation.

"We promise to write letters and send them to you guys." Alena chirped. "Elisa made her own carrier robot and programmed it to find you guys though the pink robots co-, co-"

"Co-ordinates." Elisa finished the sentence for Alena.

"Yeah, those things!" Alena added on.

"I guess we will see you sometime, then?" Ryunmei asked.

"Yep." Elisa answered. Everyone walked upstairs and out the tent. Elisa, Gia, and Alena started walking off in one direction.

"Bye!" the party called out as they waved to their new allies. The three waved back.

"We'll be seeing you guys again soon too, right?" Breeze asked.

"Yes you will," Ryunmei called back as they themselves started to leave. Gale had given them a bag of water and food for their trip before they left. Once they were out of the girls' sight range Baron checked his pockets and suddenly realised he forgot something.

"What's wrong?" Ixia asked Baron.

"Why did we stop?" Capensis added to Ixia's question.

Baron was silent for a while. "I forgot to get the map back form Elisa…"

"You are just toying with us right?" Ryunmei asked him, hoping it wasn't true.

"I'm not… She still has our map."

The four of them sigh at the sudden realization that they are going to wind up lost, again. Jeda shock his head in disappointment. This was going to a long trip to Elvenguard. At least they would be able to get another one once they get there to restock their supplies.

* * *

Hi. Yes it's me again and well I kind of realised that I lied a little bit about after chapter 4 and such. I suck at naming characters so yea… I need a good name for male fighter, male mage, and all the other dungeon fighters and such. IF you have something for me just send it in the reviews or pm me. Thanks and hope you enjoyed it.

P.S. You can also start sending suggestions for stuff for chapter 5 and whatnot. Btw just a reminder I shipping male mage and Ixia so yeah.


	3. Lost Again! A letter from Elisa

"Again, we are lost again?!" Capensis whined. "This sucks!"

"At least we got a taste of what it is like when we don't get lost..." Ryunmei mumbled.

"Hey, Ixia, could you check to see where we are?" Baron asked.

"I already did! All i saw were trees, trees, and more trees!" Ixia complained.

"Just do it again, maybe you missed something." Capensis snapped.

"Fine, just remember who let the map blow away, Capensis." Ixia snapped back. Ixia got on her staff Weilly and flew upwards till she was over the high trees of the forest they were, once again, stranded in. She looked around to what she felt was the hundredth time that say expecting to see endless greenery. Instead she saw a small forest fire in the direction the party was going. "I see a small forest fire ahead of us!" Ixia called down cupping her hands in an effort to make it as clear as possible to her party members. Ixia then started to come back down. All she could hope was she would get time to rest soon. Flight required a bit of mana, and using mana is like a fighter punching a wall... tiring. If only her party members understood that using her mana is like using their stamina.

"A fire," Ryunmei questioned. "ahead of us?"

"Yeah," Ixia answered as she landed. "and it appears to be a small one."

"Hey, which direction was the wind blowing while you were up there?" Baron asked her in a worried tone.

"I wasn't paying attention, but I'm not going back up. I need a break."

The party sighed. The forest was getting darker.

"Capecho, would you go up and check the wind direction for me?" Capensis asked his little robot. Capecho flew up above the trees.

"This is your fault you know," Ryunmei reminded Capensis "and now I really wish we had went with Jeda."

"All he would've been doing was healing badly injured people and burying dead ones. That's why we decided not to go with them in the first place!" Capensis

"In fact you were the first to object to the idea." Baron reminded. Ryunmei sent a death glare Baron's way soon after his comment. Capecho came down.

"Cape, Cape!" Capecho told Capensis. Capensis nodded and patted Capecho on the back.

"Thank you, Capecho. The wind is coming towards us-"

"Towards us?!" Ixia panicked.

"Just how fast is it going?" Ryunmie asked clearly worried.

"I don't know?" Capensis admitted. A burning tree suddenly falls down behind them.

I thought you said was a small fire Ixia!" Ryunmei cried out.

"WAS a small fire!" Ixia reminded Ryunmei while jumping out of the way of the now fallen tree.

"We don't have time for this! We need to-"

"Help us please! Somebody please- AAAHH!" a woman's voice called out interrupting Baron's sentence.

"We should-" Ixia had started to say when everyone else started running towards the sound. She quickly followed suit hopeing she wouldn't be left behind. Unfortunately, she tripped.

"If only I had more mana…" Ixia muttered to herself, getting back to her feet. "Which way Weilly?" Weilly pointed to the left and Ixia ran in that direction with her familiars following close behind. Weilly, unlike Ixia, was very good at tracking an individual's mana.

"Are you sure the screaming came from here!?" Ryunmei asked Baron. "We are literally running straight into an inferno!"

"I know what I heard and I'm sure it came from here!" Baron answered back.

"Hey, over here!" Capensis called out to his party members. Capensis saw a little girl crawling over to her mother, shacking her as if she would just wake up if she did it hard enough. Capensis quickly started to check for a pulse as his party members came behind him.

"Nothing…" Capensis mumbled solemnly. The little girl looked up at Capensis. "I'm sorry, your mommy can't wake up anymore… "

"You left me behind again!" Ixia complained only to see Ryunmei picking up the small child and a dead woman underneath a falling and now burning tree.

"Let's hurry out…" Baron told his party members. He recomposed himself quickly after. "We need to get not now or we all would be in trouble!"

The group nodded in agreement and the child stared at them in confusion as if to ask 'Why aren't you helping mommy?'. The child saw the flames consume her mother quickly realizing that mommy wouldn't be waking up for her.

"Just which way?" Ryunmei asked as she looked at the forest around them. Surprisingly the child started pointing in a direction as if saying 'This way! Go this way!' and having no other idea of where to go the party followed. The direction lead to a clearing free of flames.

"She's good." Capensis told his party members.

"And she's only a child…" Baron turned to the others and then the little girl.

"Hey, what's your name?" Ryunmei asked her in a soft tone. The little girl looked at her then looked around for something she couldn't find. She then decided to pick up a stick and started to write in the dirt. They party watched as she wrote 'Mommy die?'. The party looked to each other trying to decide who will break the news. Capensis was the one to acknowledge it by nodding his head.

She then wrote her name. It read 'Karla'. It was Baron who realized why she wrote those things. "You can't talk can you?" he asked trying to support his suspicions. He was proven right at the shacking of her head.

"Letter, letter" a robot came flying down towards the party and hands Baron a piece of paper.

"It's from Elisa!" Baron exclaimed.

"Elisa?" Ixia asked even more excited than he was.

"What does it say?" Capensis asked quickly trying to get hold of the letter. Ryunmei successfully punched him in his side before that could happen.

"Read it out for us." Ryunmei told him as she stared down Capensis.

"Aright, alright. Don't rush me." Baron answered back. He then started to read it.

"_Hi everyone, don't be surprised by this letter as we said we would write to you guys. Anyway we have been doing great. It has only been our first 7 days and we could already afford some horses and a wagon. We also have gained ourselves a new party member and a lot of popularity. His name's Hiroto and he's a fighter like you Ryunmei. I would like to see you two spar sometime. That's not the real reason we wrote you though. The harvest festival is going to take place in the West Coast and we were hoping to see you guys there. It would be really awesome if you make it, knowing you directional skills. Just don't expect to see us there after the festival though 'because we have gotten some jobs in Heldon Myre. _

_Hope to see you there_

_Elisa,Gia,Alena."_

"What are we waiting for let's go!" Capensis exclaimed starting to walk in the direction of the fire.

"Isn't there a fire in that direction?" Ryunmei reminded him.

"Right…"

Karla then pulled on Baron's pant leg and pointed to her writing in the dirt. It read 'I no way to antie farm and it cloz to Hewdon Mire.' Baron smiled and patted Karla on the head.

"I think we found our guide to Heldon Myre." Baron told his party members. The group perked up.

"Heldon Myre is right beside the West Coast! We just might make it!" Ixia cheered.

"And I'll get to see my beautiful, Elisa!" Capensis added.

"We would be getting to birds with one stone!" Ryunmei realized.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's get going!" Baron happily told his party members. Karla nodded and then they were off to Karla's aunt's house. However, they soon realized that the moon was up.

"Maybe we should camp here tonight and start there tomorrow morning." Baron suggested. With a nod they started to prepare the camp site.

* * *

Sorry for the long wait for this one guys. I know excuses don't get anywhere but i will give one anyway. I had to study for my exams and are currently going through them. I get some extra time at home since they started to I decided to finish this chapter. Sorry if you don't like it.

P.s. Need story ideas for chapter 5. This will be greatly appreciated and would hopefully inspire you to continue reading along with allow you to say i helped create this story and I'm awesome. So start pming me as chapter 4 is coming around the corner and i tend to like writing the stories on paper first.


	4. Working for Karla's Aunt(part1)

"Which way now?" Capensis impatiently asked the little girl. The party had been in the forest for five days now. They had ran out of the food two days ago. Karla turned and kicked him in the shin causing Capensis to jump up and down. Ixia giggled quietly as she watched Capensis jump up and down.

"Leave her alone, Capensis." Ryunmei scolded.

"I'm sorry, but we have been out here for five days, leaving two days for us to get there, and every day here is one day less to get the beautiful Elisa to see me!" Capensis complained.

"I bet the main reason she made her own party was to get away from you in the first place..." Ryunmei muttered under her breath.

"Let's be reasonable here, any move you make on her is likely to get you shot, again." Ixia reminded.

"Seems like someone is jealous that I have a special someone and you don't." Capensis shot back.

"Come on guys. This isn't the time to argue amongst ourselves," Baron scolded. "We need to focus on getting Karla to her aunt's house so we could have a clear path to Heldon Myre and then the West Coast." Everyone sighed at Baron's reasoning. He was right after all, and the grumbling in their stomachs proved it.

"We should start looking for some edible plants-" Baron was suggesting when Karla pulled on his pant leg holding an armful of Lami leaves and wild berries. She had already been stuffing her face with them as there were small bits around her mouth. She pointed at the berries and then in the direction she had found them.

"You found them over there?" Baron asked. Karla nodded, then started offering food to Ixia's familiars, which they happily accepted.

"Well, what are we waiting for let's get ourselves some food!" Capensis cheered as he rushed in the direction.

"Guess that's one way to get his mind to focus…" Ryunmei sighed as she followed the group, which was following a speeding Capensis.

"Where did the love struck idiot go Weilly?" Ixia asked her staff.

"Wei, wei. Wie wei wei." Weilly told her.

"He says he's straight ahead of us." Ixia translated for her party members.

"He literally just ran off…" Baron complained. "He even missed the berry bush and Lami leaves, Karla was trying to show us."

Karla paid no attention to their complaints as she was having a ball of a time on Ryunmei's shoulders. Reaching new heights that she never could've reached before, she grabbed a tree branch and pulled down on it. Unfortunately her hands slipped and the branch whipped her nose.

"Hey are you okay up there?" Ryunmei asked. She was soon taking her off her shoulders and wiping tears off her face. "It's alright; could you calm down and try to tell me what happened?" Karla pointed at the tree branch.

"What's going on back there?" Baron asked.

"Karla got hit by a tree branch. It's just bruised so I think she'll be fine." Ryunmei told him. "We'll be staying away from the high branches for a while won't we?" Karla nodded and ran over to walk with Ixia. Soon after the party started walking again she was, once again, sitting on the shoulders of someone much taller than her, Baron's shoulders to be exact, because Ixia's wasn't to her liking in height.

"Hey guys I found some grapes!" Capensis called out to the party.

"Where did you get those?" Ixia asked hoping to get her hands on some herself. Karla stared at Capensis for a bit then started to try and get of Baron's shoulders.

"Hey calm down. I'll let you down just stop moving so much." Baron said as he tied to get the squirmy girl down. As soon as she touched the ground she ran over to Capensis and was on her tippy toes, with her arms out stretched. Capensis, giving in to her begging, knelt down and she climbed up to her place of preference. Upon standing back up everyone could see her joy of being the highest.

"She really loves heights doesn't she?" Ryunmei asked rhetorically. Baron nodded in agreement.

"Hey those aren't wild grapes traveller!" A woman's voice rang powerfully. "You better hope that you didn't wind up eating any or you'll be calling for mercy!"

Capensis gulped as a middle aged woman walked towards them. "I don't have time to be losing produce and chasing down people like you!"

"What do you know, Capensis stole food from a farmer and for some reason it doesn't surprise me…" Ixia mutters as she glares at Capensis.

"You don't actually believe that I would do that, on purpose, do you?!" Capensis exclaimed. Everyone just glared at him accusingly. "I didn't know that it was someone's property! It looked just like a part of the forest and had no fences what so ever!"

Karla had different plans, however, climbing down Capensis, using his scarf as a rope causing him to choke, and then running towards the woman giving her a big hug.

"Karla? What are you doing here? Where is your mother?" the woman asked as Karla hugged her. She turned to the party. "Where is her mother and where did she get that bruise?"

"Well, I think she was pulling at a tree branch and it hit her." Ryunmei explained. The woman smiled a bit.

"I could believe that, being the curious child she is. Would you believe she followed me into the forest just to see what a goblin was? I wound up having to teach her what plants are edible and how to use the sun as a compass." The woman's face grew solemn. "More importantly what happened to her mother?"

"… We couldn't make it to her on time…" Baron said quietly. Somehow the woman was able to hear that.

"I knew a goblin or something would get to her someday. She never listened to a word I said even though I was the one to kill the beasts for a living. " The woman sighed. "I guess I'll have to thank you for saving my niece, but don't think you'll be getting out of this without doing any work. " She glared directly at Capensis. "I'll need you four to building me a fence around my property. Hopefully it'll prevent more accidents like these in the future, and those purposeful offenders will be given an even bigger punishment." The woman started walking back from where she came signaling the party to follow.

"And you said you wanted to get there as soon as possible because Elisa wants to see my beautiful face," Ixia mocked.

"Can it will yea?" Capensis shot back. Ixia smirked at her thought of victory.

They came upon a rundown house as they followed the woman.

"Welcome to my home." The woman told the party. "I know it's a bit run down but I have a guest house for you to stay at while you are working here. I'll lead you too it now."

"Thank-you..." Ryunmei remembered that she never got a name from the woman.

"Zya... call me Zya" the woman told her without turning around.

"Thank you Zya" Ryunmei repeated adding the new name.

"I have to repay the people who saved my niece don't I?" Zya stated plainly. "If it wasn't so close to the festival I would've gotten you to do some renovations for me as well, as Karla would need a room to sleep. I will be providing all your meals and a place to sleep so that should be sufficient payment, don't you think?"

"Yeah that should be fine..."Baron sighed

"It's not like I'll be keeping you from the festival; all the hotels will be full by now, and I will be participating in it so it wouldn't make sense keeping you here. I'm also expecting a friend over today so don't you dare do anything stupid," Zya turned to face them with a deadly smile. "Or I will personally lock that individual in the cellar for the festival, and don't you dare think I can't manage it." Zya then proceeded to enter her home, motioning for the party to follow. Once they entered Zya was boiling some water for the group.

"You would've thought it'd look worse in here..." Ryunmei whispered quietly.

"Yeah," ixia looked around. "If this is what she calls rundown imagine if it looked nice..." Ixia whispered back.

"I'll show you where I keep my wood after you finish with the Lami leaf tea. I will show you the guest house in the evening." Zya says as she bring the tea to the party.

"When are we going to tell her that..." Ixia whispered to Baron.

"I don't know, Ix, but we have to tell her soon." Baron whisphered back.

"That's reminds me... my sister was killed by a monster, right?" Zya asked almost as if she had heard the two whispering.

Once again the looks between the party members began. Capensis sighed.

"There was a forest fire and... a tree fell on her." Capensis finally told Zya.

"So... it wasn't..." Zya stood there for a moment. "You four are very lucky to have made it out." Zya placed the cups and a bowl holding sugar on the table. Karla picked up a cup with steaming hot tea and proceeded to take a sip burning her lips and tounge.

"Didn't I tell you that tea is very hot when it's steaming?" Zya asked the girl. Karla nodded holding her mouth. "Silly girl... let me get you some ice." Zya went back to the kitchen to get some ice. Karla naturally followed.

"I don't think she's going to take it too well..." Ixia told the group literally stating the obvious.

"If it was a monster she could've gone to take revenge but-" Ryunmei was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Coming!" Zya called out as she came from the kitchen and walked towards the door. "It's nice that you could come today."

"I'm just glad i could make it," the familiar voice replied.

"Old man?" Baron asked.

"So you know these adventurers, Jeda?" Zya asked.

"Yes I do. I even join them in their adventures." Jeda told Zya holding his cup of tea.

"I had no idea." Zya admitted. "I guess you learn something new every day."

"You could say that again," Capensis added. "I never knew that he was friends with a person like you."

Zya turns to Jeda, "That reminds me... they have to build me a fence for eating my grapes. You wouldn't mind helping them out would you?"

"I wouldn't mind it. It'll give me something to do while I'm here."

Everyone else watched as the two conversed about their lives, so much so they didn't realise they had finished their own. Karla got bored however and started pulling on everyone's clothing till they paid attention to her. This resulted in a game of chess which Karla somehow always won.

"Well you four had a longer break than expected," Zya told the four as she turned to face them for the first time that day. "Time to get to work!"

"Okay," the four sighed in unison. This was going to be a long two days.

* * *

Well there's part one...

I really have to stop being such a procrastinator.

Tell me if you like it. Hope to fin part 2 in August.


	5. Working for Zya(part 2)

"Let me show you four where I keep my wood," Zya told them as she rose from her seat and proceeded to leave the building. The party instinctively followed. The distance between the shed they were heading towards wasn't very far as they reached their destination in less than 5 minutes. So close in fact, Baron wondered how they hadn't seen the building before. Even though it was surrounded by trees they were tall enough that their leaves wouldn't block their view. "I want you to use this stain on the wood before you place it. It'll help to prevent the wood from rotting." Zya explained as she held up a can with a brush in it.

Baron, Ryunmei, and Ixia nodded to show they were listening. Zya opened the double doors of her shed, stacks upon stacks of wood with neat aisles running between them. "Would this be enough?"

"It seems so," Capensis gapped as he stared at the rows of wood.

"Well you four get staining," Zya tells them. "I will be inside making dinner." Zya then left the party to the open shed full of wood, a can with stain liquid, and a brush.

"We better get started then," Baron sighs as he entered the shed and started to pull down wood boards. Ryunmei soon followed and Ixia picked up the brush and can. Capensis, however, just watched as they started picking out their roles.

"I guess I'll be hammering the boards into place," Capensis mumbled quietly. Soon he was lying on the grass, relaxing as everyone else started to work.

"You are planning on helping out right?" Ixia asked as she started staining a wooden board.

"I'll put the fence in place when it's done drying." Capensis tells her. She raises an eyebrow at this but soon ignores it, wondering if he knew that he would be taking the hardest job. Zya was a farmer after all, meaning that she owned a lot of land. He would have to carry the wood back and forth all along the borders. It _was_ his fault after all so he technically should be doing all of it.

Karla, noticing that Capensis wasn't doing anything, quickly ran over, sat beside him, and started writing on a notepad. Once finished she shoved it into his field of view. 'I wan up!' the note said. Capensis sighed and sat up. No words were needed as Karla happily made her way to the canopy of Capensis shoulders. Soon Capensis was running around with the small girl on his shoulders, which was clapping happily and encouraging him to go faster.

"Capensis, some boards are finished you can and should start working!" Zya suddenly appeared and scolded Capensis.

"Yes ma'am!" Capensis said as he quickly put down Karla and picked up the boards that Ixia finished staining.

"I think he's scared of her..." Ixia whispered to Baron and Ryunmei.

"No kidding..." Baron mummbled

"Any person with sense will know not to mess with her," Ryunmei told Ixia "I could tell just by looking at her that you wouldn't want to get on her bad side."

They watched as Capensis hammered in the stained pieces of wood in a row. It appears Zya now indicated her borders with red yarn, either to make it easier or to make sure she wouldn't get any excuses from the perpetrator. Jeda, surprisingly, was nowhere to be found. The group sighed.

"And he said he'll give us a hand, too," Baron sighed.

"It's still just a question of when at this point," Ryunmei reminded him.

Worked dragged on, with the occasional inspection of Zya, until sunset. Capensis was exhausted, as he could be seen walking like a dead man that just rose from his grave. He wasn't the only one that was tired. Karla was sleeping after the day's adventures, Ixia was mind was ready to shut off, and Baron and Ryunmei were sure they would be sore in the morning.

"How much more do we have to do?" Ixia asked Cspensis, for he was the one building the fence.

"I think... half way...?" Capensis turned to look at his progress. "Yeah half... just the shorter sides now."

"Thank goodness. I'm sure my arms will fall off if I have to do this for a week." Baron managed to say.

"Hopefully we don't have to get up early." Ryunmei added.

"A break... would be... a lot more appreciated," Capensis said in between gasps of air.

Zya opened the door for them and they were greeted by the tasty aroma of her cooking.

"Well aren't you the hard workers." Zya complemented. "I was expecting you to slack off when I wasn't watching like the others, and here you are half done with what I see as high quality work." She smiled at them. "The other two sides shouldn't take too long if you keep up the pace... How would it sound to come to town with me tomorrow morning?"

"What will we be do-" Baron was quickly cut off.

"Whatever you want." Zya told them.

"Seriously?" the party asked in disbelief.

"It's a reward for working so hard, unless you want to work early tomorrow morning..."

"No, we'd gladly accept the reward." Baron quickly responded. Zya smiled.

"It doesn't mean you get to sleep in late. We'll be leaving at sunrise, so get some rest." Zya instructed.

"Yes ma'am!" Capensis almost sounded a bit too cheerful at this point. Zya started walking upstairs.

"And don't forget to take a bath. I will not allow anyone sweaty, or smelly to tag along," and with that Zya left the party alone.

They looked at each other and quickly proceeded to finish dinner, and rushed to the guest house. Once getting inside though, that last little bit of energy was spent and they wound up falling asleep.

They woke up to the voice of Jeda. "It's time for you guys to wake up!"

"You kidding? It isn't even starting to brighten." Capensis whinned.

"Well, did you have a bath before falling asleep?" Jeda asked. "You do realise you wouldn't go to the West coast today if you haven't."

Everyone jumped up and started fighting over who goes first. Ixia and Ryunmei were up first because... well Ryunmei brought up the ladies first bit. Complaints were heard but they eventually gave in, especially since Capensis was accused of not being a gentlemen and that Elisa would not consider any man that wasn't. Bt the time they were ready it was sunrise.

"It really took that long?" Ixia exclaimed in surprise.

"It usually does," Jeda explained. "That's why I always take the time i think it will take and double it."

"So we're all ready?" Zya asked the group, with Karla close behind.

"Yes!" the party replied back.

"Good." Zya placed Karla in the cart and then got on herself, holding the reins of the horses.

"You don't expect me to help you up do you?" Zya asked them.

With that the party got on and they were off on their half day trip to the West Coast.

* * *

Woohoo updated

i think ill update alot more randomly from now on

and keep sending those ideas :D

any ill get will help a lot and most likely will be used :D


	6. The Day Before the Festival

"Wow, everyone's so busy!" Ixia exclaimed.

"Of course it is," Zya laughed. "I would be extremely worried if it wasn't." The cart stopped beside a well made, and equally well decorated, stand.

"That's your's?" Baron gawked.

"Yes it is." Zya got off the cart and started to help the anxious Karla. "Now stay close to me. I don't want to lose you in the crowd." Karla nodded; a grin plastered on her face. "When mid day you'll meet with me here." Zya told the party.

"Yes ma'am." Capensis jumped out of the cart and quickly started scanning the area. He too was anxious, to see Elisa. Soon everyone was off the cart and walking the busy streets of the West Coast.

"How about we get ourselves some breakfast?" Jeda suggested. "I know a great place we could go that wouldn't empty the party's gold supply." Everyone turned to each other and silently agreed with the idea.

"Well where is it?" Baron asked.

"Just at the next street." Jeda told them as they continued walking. As soon as they made the right turn Capensis was sprinting.

"Elisa, the person you have been waiting for is here for you!" Within the second he finished saying it he was shot with a tranquilizer dart by a small flying robot.

"Thank you Teselle," Elisa said to the robot.

"Anything for you master," The robot responded back.

"Capeee!" Capecho panicked as it saw its master on the floor completely immobile. Elisa then turned to the rest of the party.

"HI guys, I'm so glad you made it." She said surprisingly cheerful after the dart shot in Capensis behind.

"It took a while but we're here." Ryunmei hugged Elisa ignoring Capensis incomprehensible babbling.

"Hey where are you guys staying? If you want we could give you some gold to get yourselves a room."

"We're fine. We are actually staying with a farmer called Zya for a bit," Baron told Elisa. The sudden sound of whistle blowing was heard from Capensis direction. It turned out to be Karla sitting on Capensis back thinking he was offering a horsie ride. The party could just imagine her saying 'Go horsie! Go!' as she pointed in the direction she wanted to go.

"Karla didn't I tell you to stay close to auntie." Zya came and picked up the girl off Capensis. Once she noticed the dart she couldn't stop laughing. Karla simply looked at her aunt in confusion.

"A pot, a pot, a pot. What you may find just might be the extremely rare Danjin Doll! The perfect gift for all special occasions." Danjin and the gang could be heard advertising their pots and most likely getting sales.

"Danjin seems to be doing well," Baron said as he turned to look at the crowd surrounding the pot merchant.

"Sure does," Ryunmei agreed.

"Have you guys ate yet?" Gia asked. "We could tell our stories over breakfast if you want."

"We were coming here to do just that actually." Ixia pointed to Jeda. "Jeda said it's good, and he knows the owner of the place." Jeda nodded in confirmation.

"Then shall we." Jeda opened the door and held it. Everyone soon entered the restaurant and quickly noticed there was no waiters walking around taking orders or handing them out. There were blue flames floating around doing the job.

"Where are the waiters?" Ryunmei asked.

"Looks ghastly," Elisa commented. "Was it always like this?"

Jeda looked around. "Seems like he got some new staff since I left." Jeda admitted. "I've never seen this before." Ixia was the only person excited about this.

"It's magic you guys! Magic! Hopefully I could gain some pointers from the mage here. They must be really skilled to be able to do this!"

"Jeda! How great to see you!" An older man's voice came from the left. He seemed to have come from the kitchen. "Brought some friends with you I see. Let me get you all seated." The man then proceeded to the biggest table, which was closest to some stairs.

"I see you hired someone new." Jeda commented.

"I guess you could say that." The man explained. After seating the two parties at the big table and seeing the intrigue of everyone's faces he decided to continue the story. "A week back I came upon an unconscious kid on the street. He looked pretty bad so I brought him here, and took him to one of the rooms upstairs. To tell the truth he only woke up the day before so I don't know much about him. I guess, he decided he'll help me out while he stays here."

"I see…" Jeda looked at the stairs.

"Can you call him over? I want to see him." Ixia asked suddenly.

"I don't think I should, he only woke up a day ago and he _should_ be resting..." the man reminded Ixia. She sighed in disappointment.

"If you come again tomorrow I'll ask him for you, as long as he's in the condition I deem fit." Ixia's reaction immediately changed to bliss. The man smiled before turning to see the ghostly flame in front of him, and sighing. "I'll be serving this group, and you _should_ be saving your strength." The flame vanished. "He's probably watching us now."

"Don't worry yourself," Gia told the man. "Any kid that's able to will spy on others." Gia picked up the menu and knocked Alena on the head.

"I didn't do anything-" Alena protested.

"Yet. Don't think I don't know what you were thinking." Gia eyes didn't check to see if she was still there as she opened the menu.

"But-"

"You heard the man. No visitors today."

Alena looked towards the stairs once more but after hearing her stomach, started focusing on what she wanted to eat. "I want a burger," Alena eventually told the man. The man chuckled witnessing what unfolded in front of him.

"The usual," Jeda told the man as he game him the menu.

"Is that all for now?"

"For now." Elisa nodded. She seemed to speak for everyone. The man left to get Jeda and Alena's order.

"This menu is huge!" Baron exclaimed as he opened it. It was a full ten pages back and front. "You could literally just ask for anything!"

"Hey! Why would you just disappear like that?" A fighter suddenly entered the restaurant. He was fuming.

"Hiiiroootoo! Over her!" Alena chirped. "WE saved you a seat!" She was standing on her seat waving crazily.

"What about me?" Capensis finally entered. "Where's-"

"You get the floor" Elisa turned away from him in annoyance.

"WHAT! Why?" Capensis whinned. The fighter started at Capensis then looked towards Elisa.

"You know this guy?" the fighter asked.

"Unfortunately so…"

"Why doesn't he-" Capensis was cut off by a sudden tranquilizer dart to his rear end, which causes him to fall face first to the floor. He barely managed to turn his head but he saw Capecho on the floor. Capecho was forcefully shut down. Everyone's sweat dropped as Capensis lay there on the floor.

"Would he be okay?" Gia asked sheepishly as the fighter walked over and took the empty seat. "That's two doses in a very short amount of time…"

"He'll be fine." Elisa glared at Capensis. "Annoying guys like him don't go down easily."

The man came back with Alena's and Jeda's orders.

"Your burger young miss, and for you, your usual steak, just the way you like it." The man said as he placed the food infront of their consumers.

"Thank you sir!" Alena chirped just before she started devouring her burger.

"Thanks, Shouta." Jeda nodded. The man, now known as Shouta, nodded back with a grin on his face.

"Anyone else ready to order?" Shouta asked. Surely enough orders started rolling in.

"That was amazing!" Ryunmei sighed in delight. "That was the best food I've ever tasted."

"No kidding," Elisa agreed then suddenly glaring as Capensis started to regain movement.

"I'm guessing that's Hiroto?" Ryunmei asked Elisa. Elisa simply nodded.

"Wait… How do you know me?" the fighter asked.

"Elisa sent us a letter a while back. She mentioned you as a new party member." Baron pulled out the letter and showed him. Hiroto read it over quickly and nodded to himself.

"I guess we could skip introductions then… by the way have you seen this kid with black hair, pale skin, red eyes, wearing purple and black clothing?" The party shook their heads. "Dang that kid! First he appears out of nowhere, then has the nerve to take my money and insult me afterward. Told me to try and find him. What does he think this is, a game of hide and seek?"

Shouta overheard Hiroto's complaining. "What are you talking about?" he asked. "He was upstairs the entire time."

"Sounds like a bored escape artist to me, old man!" Hiroto snapped. "Yeah I heard he was out for a while and that's probably true, but this kid ain't in that room. He's probably outside enjoying some fresh air and using me to relieve himself of some boredom." Hiroto looks at the blue flames. "Well doesn't that explain it… little snake is a mage and probably monitoring you right now, planning his movements on yours."Hiroto scoffed. "At least I know now that he has to be close by…"

Shouta watched Hiroto for a while then turned to look upstairs. "I checked not long ago and he was up there. There is no reason to have me think otherwise."

"Sure old man but when I find him and drag him over, you'll see." Hiroto warned. Zya walked into the restaurant. Worry was all over her face.

"I'm sorry, have you seen Karla?" She asked.

"No, we haven't seen her." Ryunmei answered. Zya was started to panic.

"She's... she's not with you?"

"Is something wrong?" Gia asked.

Zya started to tremble with fear. "I- I can't lose her. She's ...please, please help me find her. I only took my eyes off her for a second and..." She ended up bursting into tears. Jeda went over to comfort her.

"I never thought I would see the iron maiden burst like that..." Shouta mumbled quietly to himself. Both parties looked to each other. They were as worried as Zya was.

"We'll help you find her!" Ixia suddenly shouted. Her party members agreed.

"We're helping too!" Gia, and Elisa decided on impulse.

"Me three!" Alena jumped up raising her hand like it's a classroom.

"I'll help too. Who knows, I might just encounter him again during the search." Hiroto nodded.

Baron and the gang stood up suddenly and started leaving the restaurant, while Elisa's group stayed behind to get a description of the missing girl. Once again Capensis, who was starting to regain his movement, was forgotten on the floor.

"Karla!" Ryunmei called as she searched for the girl.

Ixia got on her staff and got on top a building. "I don't see her!" she called down.

"Maybe we should split up, we'll cover more ground that way." Baron suggested. Ryunmei and Ixia nodded. The three spread out to look for Karla.

Meanwhile Capensis finally regained movement and turned on Capecho. Elisa and her party members had already left and he hadn't eaten all day so far.

"I can't believe they forgot about me so quickly," Capensis complained to Capecho.

"Cape," Capecho said in agreement as they left the restaurant and started his walk down the street. He happened to come across a kid around Ixia's age sitting on a bulletin board. His playful, red eyes scanned the crowd as if looking for someone and his black hair wasn't doing him any favours seeing his already pale complexion. Capensis stared at him. The kid almost looked like a ghost except without the transparency. That's when his head turned and locked on Capensis. A mischievous grin grew on his face as he jumped off the bulletin board and suddenly appeared behind Capensis, holding his gold pouch as he laughed.

"Wha- how-." Capensis then realized his gold pouch in the hands of the kid. "Hey, that's my money!" Capensis rushed at the kid only to be jumped on and run into a wall. The kid landed on the ground behind Capensis laughing.

"You're going to be so much more fun than the other guy! Just for you I'll make it a bit easier. If you manage to catch me I'll give it back."

"Why you little…" Capensis was angry and in that anger he remembered the description that Hiroto guy gave everyone about the kid that was toying with him. It was that same mage!

"Oh, don't be like that," the kid mocked. "The other guy has to search for me and still has to catch me after that. You should consider yourself lucky." The kid jumped on top the bulletin board and turned around as if having a sudden realization. "I get it... You feel inferior because I made it easier on yea. Alright, I'll put you on the same level as the other guy. See yea!" The mage disappeared into thin air just like a ghost.

"What have I gotten myself into?"

"Cape! Cape cape!" Capecho flew down the ally way.

"Hey, Capecho! Where are you going?" He stops as he recognizes the figure in the hallway coming in his direction.

"Damn I just saw him too!" Hiroto cursed stopping upon seeing Capensis. "Yo, have you seen the kid?"

Capensis balls his fists in anger. "That kid just took my money!"

"No kidding!" Hiroto gawked. "Damn, he must've been getting bored or something..." Hiroto scratched his head.

"Hey." Capensis started grinning as a possible solution to their problems popped into his head. "How about we team up?"

"Huh?"

"There's no way we could catch him without a plan," Capensis told him. "We need a plan."

Hiroto thought about it for a while. "Alright." Hiroto put out his hand. "I'll team up with ya to get the little bastard."

"Alright here's the plan."

"Karla, where are you?" Ryunmei called out as she turned the corner. Her face lit up as she heard the blowing of a whistle nearby. "Karla!" Ryunmei followed the sound and sure enough it was the little girl, blowing her whistle as hard as she could. The little girl ran , in a fit of sobs, to Ryunmei. "Oh thank goodness," she muttered to herself.

"So she's your's?" Ryunmei looked up to see a young boy around Ixia's age fitting the description Hiroto gave earlier.

"No, but I'm a friend of her aunt," Ryunmei said while studying the boy. "Thank you for staying with her."

"No need, I just got here anyway," he told her. "Watch out for her okay." Ryunmei nodded and he started to leave.

" Wait! What is," the boy vanished in the crowd. "…Your name?" Ryunmei stared trying to determine whether child she saw was a person or ghost until Karla pulled on her hand.

"Alright, alright. Let's go find your aunt." Ryunmei placed the small girl on her shoulders and walked back in the direction she came.

"Has anyone seen her?" Zya asked as Baron and Ixia returned. They shock their heads.

"Not yet," Baron told her.

"You did your best…" Zya told them. Elisa, Gia , and Alenia came back with similar results. Her face started to grow pale.

"Ryunmei, and Capensis aren't here yet. Maybe one of them found her," Ixia reminded Zya in an attempt to increase her mood.

"Now that I think about it, Hiroto hasn't returned either," Gia muttered.

"I don't think we should count Capensis or Hiroto in this, sis." Alena told her sister. "HIroto is probably looking for the mage that's toying with him and Capensis doesn't pay attention to anything."

"Then that leaves Ryunmei, huh…" Gia sighed. "Unless…" Gia's head turns towards Elisa.

"No, no and no. That's not happening," Elisa scowled.

"For goodness sake Elisa! We need all the help we could get to make sure that little girl gets home safe!"

"I'm back!" Ryunmei's voice resonated in the room. Little footsteps were heard running on the wooden floors.

"Karla! Oh thank goodness!" Zya scooped her up in her arms. "Don't you ever run off like tat again! You worried me sick!"

"Thank goodness in deed!" Elisa sighed in relief. Gia glared at her. "What? …Did you want to deal with him?"

"Who said I wanted to? I simply suggested you talk to him or he wouldn't pay attention!" Gia huffed.

"I'm never letting you out of my sight again!" Zya was heard telling Karla. Capensis and Hiroto came through the doors looking like they just came from a marathon.

"Damn that mage!" Hiroto cursed as he fell to the ground exhausted.

"You said it…" Capensis agreed as he too fell to the ground.

"What's with him?" Ryunmei asked.

"I don't know," Baron shrugged. "But it sure sounds like he ran into that mage…"

"He ran into the mage Hiroto talked about!" Ixia fell to her knees. "That was my share that I lent him."

"So it turn out even the iron maiden has a soft spot," Shouta mumbled quietly to himself as he watched the commotion unfold. Jeda nodded in agreement to this statement, even though he already witnessed this side of her before.

Zya looked up at the party. "Don't think that you wouldn't have to finish that fence…"

"Seriously?" The party's faces' all pale.

"Well it's not going to finish itself, now, is it?" Zya asked them. Groans of disappointment were heard from the party.

"Well that's the iron maiden for yea. Harder and sharper than a blacksmith's finest sword," Shouta sighed. Jeda just smiled as he continued to watch the seen unfold.

"She hasn't finished just yet." Jeda told him.

" You are to start again… the day after the festival."

There was an abrupt pause in the groaning.

"Really?" The party turned to face Zya in surprise.

"Just look outside! It is certainly too late to start now, and I don't want to babysit when I could be making money from my harvest!" Zya huffed in annoyance. The party quickly looked outside to see that the sun in the sky was setting on the horizon.

"She wasn't kidding." Baron gasped at how quickly the time flew.

"That probably means we wouldn't be staying much longer either," Ryunmei quietly told herself.

"Exactly!" Zya said as she stood up with Karla in her arms. "I'll be bringing the cart over so unless you want to walk back you better start saying those good byes." Zya walked out of the restaurant.

"Boy does she re-harden quickly." Shouta said in awe. "I just don't know how she does it."

Jeda laughed as he put an arm over his friend's shoulder. "How about you go visit her for some pointers."

"No thanks," Shouta declined. "I can't die now, I have a restaurant to run!" Jeda smiled as he saw the cart pull up in front the restaurant.

"Bye everyone!" Ixia called back as the cart started to head back to Heldon Myre.

"We'll be seeing you tomorrow!" Ryunmei added on. Elisa and her party members waved back. Capensis lay in the cart exhausted and angry.

"I swear, I will get you tomorrow if it's the last thing I do." Capensis muttered to himself.

"Cape…" Capecho sighed.

* * *

Woohoo and now there is chapter 5

that took so long... way too long

anyways hope you enjoyed it and happy new years to all :D


	7. Festival Day part 1

The first one that woke up that day was Capensis, or so he thought. Today was to enjoy the festival and for him, the day to get that mage and most importantly, Elisa's love.

"Today is the day I get you," Capensis said to himself as he rose from bed.

"Sure it is." Baron entered the room wearing some traditional clothing consisting of baggy pants and a jacket that covered his upper body and his arms. " We were debating on leaving you behind."

"Come on Baron! Let's go already!" Ixia paused when she saw that Capensis was awake. "And I was so ready to leave him behind too…" She taaoo was wearing traditional clothing. She wore a blouse that covered her upper body and a wrap around skirt that went down to her knees.

"Hey! I'm right here!" He said pointing to himself.

"Yeah we know." Baron face palmed at the obvious statement Capensis made.

"Are you guys ready?" Zya asked Baron.

"Yeah, it's just Capensis now," Baron sighed. "He just woke up."

"Is that so." Zya walked in the room and threw some traditional clothing similar to what Baron was wearing at him. "Now hurry up and change because you are not going behind me looking like that." She turns to face Baron. "You four will have to pay me back for the money I spent on these."

"So they are like-"

"Yes they are yours, to keep and it cost me 20'000 gold for all of it. Split it however you choose but I need my money back."

"Wow… it's actually mine?" Ixia asked. Zya nodded.

"Thank you." Ixia then turned and ran to find Ryunmei.

"Now, you better not hold us up much longer or you may find yourself walking to the festival," Zya scolds before leaving the room. Capensis sighs in defeat as he starts to get ready. Once outside everyone was on the cart, which was starting to leave without him.

"Hey! Hey! I'm here, wait up!" Capensis called out after them. Zya slowly stopped the cart to allow Capensis on and soon they were on the way.

"I can't wait to get those tips today!" Ixia excitedly told her party members.

"I just want to try as much food as possible," Baron grinned. Ryunmei nodded in agreement.

'I wan da big dagon' read Karla's note which she held above her head.

"Just don't get yourself lost again, alright?" Zya told her as she continued to steer the horses pulling the cart. Karla nodded, earning herself a pat on the head that she quite enjoyed.

"Oh and you better get my money back," Ixia reminded Capensis. "I really want to keep this dress!"

"I will, I will. I just need a new plan." Capensis reassured her. She quickly turned away and started asking Zya about what would be there and the games she could play. He needed a really good plan and fast. The mage was certainly no pushover in intelligence and in skill so the only way to get him was to either outsmart him, seeing that he's still a child, or to blackmail him, but in order to blackmail he would need to know who he is; that, on his part, would require some research and a lot of it. This was going to be a huge pain.

"Is he always like this?" Zya asked as she started unloading her produce from her cart.

"As of late… yes," Ryunmei sighed. Zya frowned, holding the same disappointment as Ryunmei.

"Capensis, we're here…" Ixia said monotonously.

"I knew that." Capensis said quickly as he, finally, got off the cart.

"You just had to bring him along…" Elisa sighed in disappointment as she and her party members came over to see their friends.

"And that's the best greeting I've ever heard," Gia commented sarcastically.

"Give me a break! It's not like you had to deal with the-"

"Elisa!" Capensis almost looked like he was floating towards her until the fated tranquilizer dart poked his backside, causing him to suddenly fall flat on his face. Everyone just sighed in response.

"Come on! I want to go to Shouta's so I could see the mage person." Alena reminded her sister as she tugged on her sleeve. Gia sighed.

"If you really wanted to go see this person, you wouldn't be clinging to me."

"But I don't want to go by myself…"

"You could come with me." Ixia suggested. "I am going there too." Alena didn't take a glance back at her sister as she skipped over to Ixia.

"Let's go Ixia, let's go!" Alena then proceeded to drag Ixia down the street in the direction of the restaurant.

"She looks excited," Ryunmei commented.

"When she's going along with someone else…" Gia sighed. Ryunmei turned to see Baron already spending his share on food for himself.

"Ryunmei, this stuff is amazing." He said between mouthfuls. "You should try some."

"Well I better get started, seeing that someone decided to start without me." Ryunmei sighed, turning around with a wave before going to get some herself. Once again Capensis was left to lie on the floor, this time to be run over by a horse and cart full of people.

* * *

"What do you think he looks like?" Alena asked Ixia.

"Doesn't matter, I just want to improve my magic." Ixia told her.

"Aww, your no fun," Alena pouted. Ixia sighed.

"Sorry, I just really want to stop messing up, you know. Everything tends to go out of control and I don't want to be the reason everyone gets blown up."

"Oh…"

"So what do you think he'll look like, Alena?" Ixia asked. Alena's ears perked up in excitement.

"Maybe he looks like Capensis but with Jeda's head," Alena chirped. Ixia burst out laughing.

"That'll be hilarious!" Ixia said between gasps. Alena grinned.

"Maybe he looks like Santa Claus, so I could prove Santa is real." Alena was waving around her arms around as Ixia opened the door to enter the restaurant. The floating flames were still going around.

"Or he could look like Elisa and Capensis would chase him instead of her." Alena started impersonating Capensis and a bit of Elisa.

"Wait … a minute," Ixia gasped in between breaths. "Can't… breath." She just couldn't stop laughing.

"Do you need something?" the flame asked in annoyance. The laughter slowly dissolved into a fit of giggles.

"Ah, there you are." Shouta smiled as he came from the kitchen. "Yuuki, get down here!"

"Why?"

"They are…just come down," Shouta sighed in frustration.

"…Fine," the flame sighed in annoyance before vanishing. The others continued floating around the room. A boy suddenly appeared by the staircase. His piercing vermillion eyes gave them a cold glare and other than festival clothes he was wearing, that were purple in hue, he had the same description Hiroto gave about the thief that took his money. Alena immediately hid behind Ixia in fear. Ixia gulped, hoping that he wasn't too angry.

"So, why are they here again?" he asked Shouta after calming himself down.

"I don't remember. How about you ask them?" The mage turned to look at them, again, this time with intense curiosity. Alena continued to hide behind Ixia, however.

"Ixia, and Alena, right?" Yuuki asked the two.

"Yes~, how did you-"

"Why are you here?" he asked. "Shouldn't you be enjoying the festival with your party members?"

Ixia decided to get to the point. "I saw your magic and I was hoping you might give me a few pointers for my own." She was still a bit wary due to the reaction she got earlier.

He watched her for a moment.

"Really?" he asked. "I'm pretty sure lady Shannon of the mage guild would do a better job than me..."

"Lady Shannon?" Ixia repeated.

"You don't know her?" he asked. "Well I guess that does explain you asking me…" He started walking towards them and Alena's trembling increased, clearly representing her fear.

"Ixia… can we go now?" Alena asked quietly.

"You could go if you want…" Ixia told her. "I wanted to get some pointers and that's what I'm going to do."

"So your afraid of me…that's a new one." He was standing in front of them now. "I guess I wouldn't have to worry about getting mugged again-"

"You were mugged?" Alena asked cautiously.

"Embarrassing isn't it. If I were paying attention I wouldn't be here…" He caught a glimpse of Shouta's facial expression "Well it's not like here is bad but, I'd prefer not getting mugged."

"How do you know where the mage guild is if you were in bed and only came to the West Coast recently?"

Yuuki flinched at the question but quickly recomposed himself to answer back.

"That doesn't mean I didn't have the chance to walk around a bit first."

Shouta's eyes narrowed as he crossed his arms. "Did you go out when I wasn't watching?"

"So you believe the Hiroto guy?" Yuuki asked in response.

"I'm trying to figure out who to believe right now." Shouta wasn't pleased with the answer he was coming up with.

"Well you could tell me who later, I got to deal with someone right now." Yuuki waved off Shouta as he walked out the front door and stopping when he realized Ixia wasn't following. "Hey! You are coming right?"

"Yeah!" Ixia hurried after him with Alena, who didn't want to be left behind, following after her.

* * *

"Where is the damn kid?" Hiroto grumbled as he walked though the ally ways. Upon turning a right he saw the kid leaving the restaurant closely followed by Ixia and Alena.

"So that's where you are… Just where do you think you are going?" Hiroto quietly started to follow them as he planed his gold pouch recovery.

"What kind of mage are you?" Yuuki asked Ixia attempting to start a conversation, partially out of curiosity but mainly just to satisfy his boredom. "Are you a witch? Elementalist?"

"I actually haven't decided yet," Ixia admitted.

"So you're basically still running in circles," he sighed clearly disappointed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ixia snapped. "It certainly doesn't look like you decided!"

"I have plans."

"Sure, you do, as what? A bum or a thief?" She panicked upon realizing she just gave away her opinion to her prime suspect. Yuuki faked offence.

"Ouch, that hurts you know. Being accused of being a thief isn't a pleasant gesture of thanks, you know." Ixia simply glared at him but, soon he was revealing a mischievous smirk. "How about we play a little game?"

"Game?" Ixia asked in confusion.

"If you manage to catch me, I'll confirm if your little accusation was true or not. Want to play?"

Ixia hesitated at the sudden request. Did that mean he was the thief or was he just toying with her?

"I want to play!" Alena surprisingly jumped at the opportunity to play a game.

"Alright we have another player! Any more takers?" He seemed almost too excited about this.

"What do you mean by another player?" Ixia asked with a huge amount on concern. "How many people are searching for you?"

"I prefer to call it a highly motivated game of hide and seek, but I'm pretty sure you'll know all of them."

Ixia didn't like the sound of it at all, but she needed to know the truth of what happened to the money she lent Capensis.

"Fine, I'll play," Her mind was protesting. 'You're not going to catch him' is what it was saying and she knew that her intuition was always right.

"Awesome!" He jumped away from them to gain some distance. "Our game starts-"

"You're not getting' away brat!" HIroto interrupted as he rushed at the mage. Yuuki grinned as he moved to the side evading him completely.

"So it was you that was following me?" Yuuki seemed to be enjoying what was occurring, despite the obvious rage coming from the fighter. "Hey now that you're here does it mean the funny guy is here too?" Yuuki asked as he turned around to look behind him.

"Didn't anyone tell ya never turn your back to the en-" Hiroto stopped mid sentence as Yuuki jumped and landed on his arm still facing the same direction.

"Aww he isn't around is he?" Yuuki asked in a disappointed tone. "That's no fun. He literally ran into a wall when trying to catch me yesterday."

Ixia would've face palmed if she was any better off. Meanwhile Hiroto was sweating bullets as he tried to figure out how the heck Yuuki managed to know exactly when he was coming and how in the world he was standing on his arm.

"My turn!" Alena called out as she too jumped on HIroto's arm trying to tag Yuuki. Everyone's jaw dropped. Yuuki himself was shocked by her speed; he even had to use him magic to avoid her.

"Aww," Alena whined. "I almost had him too…"

"Thank the lord for the speedy kid here 'cause I'm getting my gold back!" Hiroto grinned. The mage had finally asked the wrong person to join his 'game' and now it's going to end. Hiroto looked back at the mage only to see him happier than before. "Did I miss something?"

Yuuki laughed. "This is the best game ever! I might actually get caught this time!" Hiroto growled. The kid actually wanted to get caught? That means he was just toying with him the entire time.

"I give up!" Ixia told him suddenly.

"Huh?" Yuuki seemed surprised by her sudden withdrawal "What do you mean you give up? You haven't even tried yet."

"I could tell be just watching that 'll never catch you. Alena was the closest one and that was before you started using magic."

Seeing how he reacted to Ixia's sudden withdrawal Hiroto decided to follow suit.

"Same. You're just too good kid. No one's goin' to get you at this rate." Yuuki began getting frustrated.

"You've got to be kidding me! You're just going to quit?"

"Yep, an' don't say anything about me not trying. I tried for two whole days and I still wasn't even close." Hiroto was internally cheering for his good decision to get him what rightfully belong to him. Yuuki's frustration was becoming evident as well as the fact he was probably toying with them for kicks. His frustration suddenly ended, however, as he appeared to have a realization of what he had.

"Fine, I guess I'll just spend all your money on festival stuff." He smirked as he started walking to a game stand.

"Hah, you wouldn't do that! You're just trying to get your way!" Hiroto mocked.

"What game is this?" Yuuki asked the man running it.

"You just have to knock down all five cup towers with five balls to win the grand prize. I assure you it's a lot harder than it looks."

"How much?"

"It's 20 gold per play."

"Ok-"

"YOU LITTLE BASTARD GET BACK HERE! I'LL TEAR YOU LIM FROM LIM!" Hiroto shouted as he charged at the now grinning mage. He had fell right into his trap. The poor man nearly got run over as Yuuki quickly dodged Hiroto. Unfortunately the stand suffered his horrible wrath and was completely destroyed.

"Hiroto!" Ixia called out, chasing after him. "Calm down! You're going to break everything at this rate!"

"Nooo! The cup game!" Alena cried. "Now I'll never get the big prize! YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS!" Alena suddenly disappeared from Ixia's view leaving a gust of wind and dust behind her. Ixia sighed. How will she get those directions now?

"My stand!" the man cried after Hiroto and Alena left, chasing after Yuuki. Ixia quickly apologized and decided to search for Lady Shannon herself.

* * *

"Man, everything tastes so good!" Baron said between mouthfuls, as he shoveled food into his mouth. Ryunmei nodded as she took another bite of a moon cake. After finishing what was in her mouth, she put down her cake. Who knew when she would get this chance again?

"Baron, I need to tell you something." Baron looked up from his food, and quickly swallowed whatever was in his mouth.

"What's up?" He asked her.

"We've known each other for quite sometime, " Ryunmei started.

"Yeah, it's been about an year now since we all became a party." Baron smiled.

"Well, I was thinking that… maybe we could take- " Ryunmei was cut off by the sudden screams of stampeding people.

Baron quickly stood up sword in hand. Ryunmei stared in surprise. A huge army of monsters could be seen behind the panicking people.

"Wah ha ha ha , who would've thought that so many humans would be together at this time?" a blood red lugaru laughed.

"Why do you think I'm captain?" A red tau laughed. "I would disappoint if I didn't pick the right day!"

"Look at all the food! They were probably celebrating their harvest!" a goblin chieftain grinned as he and the other goblins started to destroy the stands and grab armfuls of food. Her confession was going to have to wait.

* * *

Capensis frowned as he walked through the streets. Not only was there no sign of Elisa but, there was no sign of that mage either. He turned the corner, taking a bit of his ice cream sandwich, and saw everything he was looking for; both in the same place. Hiroto was furious and it seemed as if Alena and Ixia started the chase as well, meanwhile Elisa was enjoying her daifuku dumplings on a stick.

"Cape! Cape!" Capecho started in the direction of the mage.

"Wait, wait, this could be the only chance I have with Elisa!" Capensis whined.

"CAPE!" Capensis sighed. Capecho was right after all. It's nearly impossible to woo a girl without money. To make things worse, that money wasn't even his.

"Alright, alright! The mage- " an axe flew past Capensis nearly hitting Elisa. Everyone suddenly stopped in his or her tracks as a mechanical tau was seen in the distance. Screams followed the running people as they took whatever they possibly can with them. Elisa readied her guns as the tau came closer.

"Humans detected. Initiating offense mode." The tau picked up its axe and swung it at Hiroto, who barely managed to avoid it.

"What is that?" Yuuki asked to no one in particular.

"How about you give me my money back? You little piece of trash!" Hiroto scowled. " And don't think I don't know who you are!"

The mage raised an eyebrow and smiled" Really? Please tell me."

"You're that kid the guy was looking after, and I can't wait to tell him what you've really been doing."

"You don't really know me, do you?" the mage asked.

"I described you perfectly didn't I?"

"You still don't know me all that well."

"Hello we've got a giant mechanical tau here!" Elisa shouted as she dodged the tau's axe, and threw some grenades in its direction.

"I'll deal with you later…" Hiroto grumbled, before running over and kicking the tau square in the face. Alena took this change to jump on it back and pry off a small piece of metal by its neck.

"Moto MOTO!" Lantern breathed fire at the tau.

"Floo!" Florea shot some electricity at the tau, while Ixia sent some magic missiles its way.

The tau blocked their magic with its axe and started to breath fire at the nearest person. Yuuki watched in awe as they fought the giant tau.

"Hey, you get out of here!" Elisa yelled at Yuuki as little robots started to come out of a small compartment of the tau.

"5." The robots started to move away from Elisa, Ixia, Alena, and Hiroto.

"4." Capensis fired his rocket launcher at the tau causing it to stumble backwards.

"3." A laser came from the ground below Ixia. Although it she blocked it using her magic she still took a bit of damage.

"2." The tau roared and swung its axe at Hiroto. He dodged to the side and grabbed hold of the tau's axe, preventing it from moving its weapon.

"1." A sudden alarm sound came off of the robots and suddenly turned into monsters. They were surrounded.

"Shoot." Capensis mumbled to himself. "This can't end well." He turned to see the mage still there, watching their every move as if it was all an act in a play. "And why in the world are you still here? Can't you just leave?"

The mage looked around for a bit, as if analyzing the situation he was in. "I could but I thought it'll be more fun to watch. Besides I didn't really think you would need my help. You guys were doing so well too," He sighed, suddenly he became irritated.

"Are you seriously going to stand there?" the mage asked. "You'll get yourselves killed."

"You really are a piece of trash aren't you?" Hiroto grumbled. "Probably a nut case too."

Yuuki ignored him. "I should probably go check on the old man. He should be all right though. I've seen him knock out all kinds of people that decide to give trouble many times so it's not like he's afraid to get dirty..."

"Are you saying that Shouta was a dungeon fighter like Zya?" Ixia asked in surprise.

"It's possible, but I haven't known him long enough… I should probably go. He'll probably have a heart attack before I even get the chance if he starts to worry."

"You're not going anywhere!" Capensis and Hiroto shouted at the same time. "Not until you give me back my money!"

Yuuki laughed. " That's funny! First off, there is no way you could keep me here and that's been proven. Secondly, the money is Ixia's not yours!"

"You KNOW HIM?!" Capensis pointed at the mage.

"Good Luck~" Yuuki waved at the group.

"Wait!" Ixia called out before he disappeared. Ixia began to sulk. "He didn't even show me where Shannon's place is…"

"No time to worry about that now." Elisa reminded.

Everyone readied him or herself as the monsters surrounded them.

* * *

"KRASH!" a goblin was sent flying into a building leaving a dent in the wall. The monsters were piling up on the ground but there were still a lot more to deal with. The clash between the monsters and the dungeon fighters was raging on in the streets.

"There's just no end to them!" Baron said cutting down a tau.

"No kidding." Ryunmei kicked another in the face sending it into a group of goblins. "Just where do you think everyone is?"

"No idea." Baron cuts down another goblin.

"Hopefully they're alright," Ryunmei gasped between words as she caught the axe of a tau coming down on her before throwing it away and sending the tau into the clouds. A chain whip flew past them grabbing a goblin and then swinging it at a line of enemies before slamming it into the ground.

"How dare they ruin my shop and put me back in action! Do they realize the trouble they've caused ME? They will PAY!" Zya was furiously attacking the monsters in front of her.

Baron noticed two small hands grab onto his leg. Karla had snuck behind Baron.

"You brought her along?" Baron twitched upon realizing the hands belonged to Karla. She, however, appeared to be in awe of her aunt's skill.

"Of course I did. Do you think I'll leave her behind? She would not stay where I leave her and I don't trust the rookies in the area to protect her."

"You're putting her in harms way!" Baron scolded.

"Then I'll give you the honor of protecting her." Zya pointed at Baron before kicking a goblin in the face. "You fail, you'll end like the goblins. Kapesh?"

Baron swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded to Zya's request. "Yes ma'am."

"Good. Hopefully she will learn a thing or two from you," Zya laughed. Turning around only to give a glare at the monsters coming from behind; causing them to run away. Baron and Ryunmei relaxed themselves as they watched.

"You should start looking for your party members. You know just incase."

"Huh?" Baron turned his head in shock from Zya's sudden response. "Wait you just-"

"Now hurry it up before they decide to come back!" Zya grinned. "I wouldn't be able to focus if you two stick around."

Ryunmei and Baron stared at the woman for a while before turning around to leave.

"And don't you DARE forget my girl! GOT IT?"

"Yes Ma'am!" Ryunmei and Baron nearly jumping at her sudden outburst. Zya laughed.

"Now get going before I start a bloody carnival."

Ryunmei picked up Karla, despite the girl's protests, and soon they were on their way down the street.

"What a scary woman." Baron shuddered.

"Let's focus on finding our party members and keeping Karla safe, alright?" Ryunmei sighed.

* * *

Hello Everyone. Its been a while. Once again i updated with a partial chapter. I hope you don't mind too much.

I apologize for my inconstancy with my chapters. If anyone is still reading this, Thank you for continuing to read this story. If you gues ever want to pm me about the story and nag me to update is all welcome here. if there is anything you want in the story pm me your suggestions. And if you could find a way to make me writing better, which i'm sure everyone could tell me or even better be my beta reader :D

anyways I'll talk to you later.


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